Enriching History: Pennsylvania's Liberty Pole Spirits Has a Spacious New Home

Western Pennsylvania whiskey maker Liberty Pole Spirits has relocated to a new facility within its hometown of Washington, Pennsylvania, about 28 miles south of Pittsburgh. Its original location in downtown Washington had been open since 2016, and now its owners, the Hough family, have built a new and substantially expanded distillery.

Washington and the surrounding area of Washington County are located in the historic farm country of the Whiskey Rebellion, which took place from 1791-94. In keeping with the Hough family’s longstanding commitment to local whiskey history, the new distillery is fronted by a strikingly accurate reconstruction of an 18^th-century stone meetinghouse—like those where the rebels met to oppose Alexander Hamilton’s whiskey tax. Inside are two bars serving cocktails, neat pours, local beer, and small bites in a colonial atmosphere that includes four stone fireplaces. The meetinghouse also has a retail shop offering the full range of Liberty Pole whiskeys, merchandise, and cigars, with an adjacent outdoor smoking area.

The distillery itself is roughly threefold larger than the old one. A 1,000-gallon cooker feeds four fermenters that each fill a new 1,000-gallon stripping still from Louisville’s Vendome Copper and Brass. Just two stripping runs—instead of the previous three—now fill a 600-gallon Specific Mechanical spirit still that was used as both the wash and spirit still in the old location. The potential future addition of four fermenters would double the current capacity. Space and utilities for future expansion are already in place, but despite the greater production capacity, Liberty Pole says it remains committed to traditional pot distillation for producing its rye, peated bourbon, and corn whiskeys.

An open mezzanine above the distillery production floor allows patrons to enjoy a drink while observing the stills and staff at work. But Perhaps the most dynamic addition to the new campus is the five-story, 3,600-barrel rickhouse built by Buzik Construction of Bardstown. Though it’s the largest and only dedicated rickhouse currently in use in Pennsylvania, it is also the smallest five-story project ever built by Buzik.

For a bit of contemporary fun, the new facility is also nearby established attractions like The Meadows harness racing track and Hollywood Casino, and hotels abound. The grand opening is this Saturday, July 15. Tours and tastings will be offered, and a private barrel program is in the works.